Bio-engineered

The term Bio-engineered refers mainly to artificial biologically created men and women. They are genetically engineered reproductions of humans originally created for military service and labour intensive tasks, including mining, maintenance, and waste management.

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Bio-engineered are created wholesale from genetic material already modified for particular purposes. Through the manipulation of telomeric and mitochondrial structures, the time required to get them from infancy to adulthood is on the order of 6 months, not 17 years. They come physically and mentally equipped for their intended jobs, which range from the most dangerous and challenging security applications to the most rudimentary waste management services; their very instincts have been turned towards those ends. Modifications to their DNA resulted in the Bio-Engineered having aptitudes in specific skills related to their design parameters. These aptitudes make their strengths and weaknesses very apparent. This results in most Bio-Engineered expressing very little interest in learning skills not inherent to their design. Additionally, employers very rarely give Bio-Engineered the time or opportunity to explore opportunities for learning outside their design, ideals such as freedom and self-improvement are unknown to most Bio-Engineered. Most bio-engineered do not truly have personal lives. Even those long since set free of servitude often find themselves feeling directionless and very much akin to the Grigori, their bio-engineered Evolutionary counterparts.

Nonetheless, bio-engineered have all the faculties of Humans and indeed, for public-facing roles in which appearance is a factor, many are completely indistinguishable from them. For other roles which have less need for trivialities such as facial symmetry or soothing voices (such as menial jobs or combat designs), bio-engineered are more easily identified. In most city-states, bio-engineered are entitled to Human rights and accommodations, including citizenship, under the protection and Global Accord on Artificial Life (GAAL). There is a moral expectation among the heads of many city-states that those who produce bio-engineered have created a population of unique beings which require legal protections to prevent their exploitation. As such, most city-states have programmes in place that require the registration of all bio-engineered, including those visiting the city. The PIDs of these men and women are tagged identifying them as bio-engineered. Nonetheless, it is still relatively easy to find corporations and private developers producing bio-engineered for their own purposes.

Bio-engineered organs, limbs, and even entire Humans have been around for some time. Cloning is old news. Genetic engineering has become a staple of scientific and commercial enterprise in the New World. DNA manipulation and forms of molecular engineering are at the core of the New World’s science (3.8.3).

Bio-Engineered resulted from decades of often controversial, if not illegal, research in the areas of genetic engineering. Early on, Bio-Engineered were designed as genetic copies or clones of humans, grown and then sold for a variety of purposes. Numerous governments, corporations, and even mercenary groups sought Bio-Engineered to serve as labour, law-enforcement, or soldiers. Unfortunately, many Bio-Engineered also ended up as slaves and laboratory subjects. The advent of the GAAL offers a degree of protection to Bio-engineered persons, although cases of post-traumatic stress and other psychological disorders are gaining increasing publicity. Professionals involved in the treatment of such individuals have started to publish case studies drawing troubling parallels between people who have suffered childhood trauma and the behaviour of bio-engineered people. Such research is highly controversial due to the implications for bio-engineered soldiers and courtesans who may physically be adults but possess an emotional intelligence typical of someone considerably younger. Understandably, bio-tech firms are keen to discredit such findings.

As a species, Bio-Engineered have very little in terms of a distinct culture or history. As segmented groups of corporate property, they have developed a strong bond with one another through shared suffering and harsh conditions. Wherever their duties allow them to interact with free people, they tend to adopt the habits, beliefs, mannerisms, and customs of those with whom they spend the most time. The physical development of most Bio-Engineered is accelerated in the laboratory until maturity is reached, so that when any Bio-Engineered find themselves free of their proprietary shackles, they are thrust into a huge world without the socialization and experiences that naturally occur during the early years most species' development. Some of the more philosophically inclined Bio-Engineered have begun to question their place in the universe and are reaching out to one another through the Net or in person to exchange experiences, discuss beliefs, and to build their own culture.

Because they look human, Bio-Engineered have an easier time blending into society. Some people view the Bio-Engineered as slaves or artificial people and do not want them in their vicinity, let alone living next door to them. A difficult aspect of integration for most Bio-Engineered is escaping the bonds of servitude for which they were created. While some escape by force, others earn their freedom through mercenary work or military service. The lucky ones were liberated in a few democratic cities by the Bio-Engineered Rights Movement.

Combat Designed Bio-Engineered were created to be efficient soldiers and commanders. They have a natural aptitude for learning all Skills involving weaponry, combat, military theory, and all other skills vital to the success of a soldier. however, they are not adept at developing non-combat related Skills. A Combat Designed Bio-Engineered could save you in a war zone, but would make a terrible dinner party host.

Labour Designed Bio-Engineered were created to be efficient labourers and managers of labourers. They are able to maintain high levels of physical exertion for an extended period of time and can continue conducting actions long after other people have collapsed from exhaustion.

Stealth Designed Bio-Engineered were created to be thieves, spies, reconnaissance soldiers, or covert operatives. They have a natural aptitude for learning all Skills involving stealth, limited forms of combat, sabotage, surveillance, and theft.

Manipulation Designed Bio-Engineered were created to be attentive, talented, and patient companions capable of using their abilities to relax, entertain, or manipulate anyone of their employer's choosing. They have a natural aptitude for learning all Skills involving the arts, fine arts, manipulation, seduction and placation.